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"The Gold Violin" is the seventh episode of the second season of the American television drama series Mad Men. It was written by Matthew Weiner and directed by Andrew Bernstein. The episode originally aired on September 7, 2008 on the AMC channel in the United States.

Plot
Don Draper is sent on a venture from Roger to a Cadillac dealership and attracts the attention of the dealer who tells him the Coupe De Ville would make him as comfortable as being in his own skin. Don gets a flashback where he’s referred to as his actual name of a woman unknown to us. The newly hired Smitty Smith and Kurt Smith introduces the idea that for there new campaign to the youth we need to acknowledge that youth want freedom and they don’t like to be told what to do.

Along with everything Jane Siegel, Ken Cosgrove, Salvatore Romano and Harry Crane break into Cooper’s office during the time which Ken learns of Salvatore admiration for his writing. Ken follows up with an offer for Sal to read his new story. Sal counters with an invite to dinner with his wife and him.

Jimmy Barrett instead of calling Don’s secretary calls Betty directly to invite her and Don to his celebration of collaborating with ABC at a club. The Martinson Coffee team is  offered a jingle as their campaign at their advertisement meeting.

We also witness the rivalry between Joan and Jane when Joan approaches Jane about breaking into the office and Jane test her limitations. Subsequently, Joan fires her on the spot.

We see Don surprise Betty with the Coupe De Ville. The next day we get a glimpse into Sal and Kitty’s relationship which seems to be on rocky roads when Ken visits. Ending the visit with Kitty not feeling seen in the house. On the same day, we switch to see Don and Betty take the kids on a picnic together as a family. Which puts into perspective their financial situation, when Sally ask if they “are we rich?”.

Monday arrives and Sal and Ken exchange appreciation for each others company for dinner. Joan acknowledges Janes presence and ask her why she showed up to work after her firing her and Jane retaliates with Mr.Sterling exposing her temper and surpassing her command.

That night Don and Betty attend Jimmy Barrett’s dinner. Moments in after introductions Jimmy Barrett express his suspicions of the affair between Don and Bobby to Betty and then Don. They leave consecutively after because Betty claims to be ill and Don just remains in awe. In the ride back its very quiet but we are surprised with Betty vomiting on her lap then ending.

Cultural references
While talking to Don in the office, Smitty references a friend joining a political activist group called Students for a Democratic Society. In Bert’s office Sal, Jane, Harry and Ken all view a fictional painting said to be made by Mark Rothko. When Harry says that Bert wants to “see me and only me” which Ken replies, “Isn’t that from West Side Story?” referencing the line “Only you, you're the only thing I'll see forever” From the song Tonight from the Musical. While viewing the painting in Bert’s office, Harry says “Cooper loves it, and you have to love it, like in an Emperor’s New Clothes situation.”. While in the elevator, Ken mentions how he was in a popular magazine called Atlantic Monthly. While on the phone with Betty, Jimmy Barrett mentions that he will be going to the Stork Club, a very famous nightclub that was open until 1965. While in a meeting with Bert and Roger, Don is told that he will be able to work at the American Folk Art Museum, a well known contemporary art gallery in Manhattan. While at the party at the end of the episode, an ABC executive mentions wanting to “Bury Candid Camera”, a popular hidden camera television show that started in the 1940’s.

Reception
The episode “Gold Violin” had about 1.67 million tuning in that evening. It was rated 8.5/10 stars on IMDb. This episode won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Hairstyling for a Single Camera Series.

Noel Murray of the AV club gave the episode an A- grade, wrapping up up his review by saying "Still, when Betty ruined the Cadillac in the final scene's shock barf, he deserved it. He deserved worse. "

Production
The episode was written by the creator of Mad Men, Matthew Weiner, along with Jane Anderson, André Jacquemetton, Maria Jacquemetton and was directed by Andrew Bernstein. Matthew Weiner explains how this episode is all about the consumption of good and the excess of trash, and how we can, "never escape all the detritus we leave behind in our lives." Weiner explains how in 1962, America began to see a lot of garbage and consumption of material goods. Since the Gold Violin is centered on objects, the episode explored the idea that with consuming too many objects there is not a distinction between was is valuable to a person and what is not. Weiner demonstrates materialism through Don's purchase of a new car stating that the car, "is the symbol of Don's success." Although Don and other characters in the show purchase material goods to symbolize power and influence, it does not allow the individual to fully escape the baggage and "garbage" of their life. When Jimmy Barrett (Patrick Fischler) calls Don out for sleeping with his wife, he tells him that he is garbage. Jon Hamm explains that, "if you are stepping over lines, someone's going to call you out eventually." Additionally, Weiner explains that, "this is the detritus of Don's life. This is the garbage. You just can't keep moving forward and expect that nothing is going to happen to you." The episode explains that no material good or recognition for hard work can put a blanket over the wrong things individuals do and the way that they hurt others.